Apotheosis of the Immortal

by Joshua A. Chaudry

  “I wasn’t asleep; I don’t sleep.” He spoke sharply.

  “Well, I think you’ve had a bit too much to drink then, because you were asking me some really weird questions.” she accused. She looked confused.

  “No, alcohol doesn’t do that to me,” he protested.

  “Well.” She paused.

  Elijah could tell she was disappointed; she had clearly been hoping for something more, he didn’t know what.

  “Tell me what happened today, outside of the masjid. You nearly yanked the door off my uncle’s truck.” Her tone was accusing.

  “I’m sorry, I just thought you needed me,” Elijah confessed unwillingly. It was almost as if he was drunk, or delirious; he hadn’t been able to stop the words that emerged. In one sentence he had given away more about himself than he ever meant to. “I mean, I thought you were in trouble.” Elijah was trying, but couldn’t find a way out of this lapse in guise. “I thought the truck was rolling into the road, and I could hear an oncoming car. I didn’t realize you were driving.”

  “I see. You do that a lot, that kind of crazy, overprotective kind of thing?” Emira asked. She seemed nervous and uncomfortable as she rose to her feet and began pacing.

  Elijah understood then she wasn’t concerned with how he had stopped the truck, but why. He had tried to save her from an imagined danger and she wanted to know why. That was surprising, and a relief.

  “I’m always eager to help,” he lied, in an attempt to discourage her from digging any further.

  “Okay,” Emira spoke slowly. “You are a bit odd, aren’t you?”

  Elijah was somewhat offended; he had never been seen as odd before. At least no one had ever told him he was, but now he was definitely feeling a bit odd.

  “I suppose so,” he replied. He didn’t understand why he felt awkward. He had been with thousands of women over the years, with never a hint of awkwardness.

  But then he had never wanted to actually talk to those women, nor had he cared for an instant about their feelings or what they thought of him… at least not until he knew them well enough to actually have feelings for them. He had grown up with Sara, and he had bartered with an entire fortress for Ayda; he wished it were still that simple. “It’s fine for you to talk, but I’m not the one who glows,” he teased.

  “What? You are definitely an odd one,” she said, seeming to withdraw a bit.

  “Why are you toying with me?” he asked as he walked back to the desk and lifted the glass of bourbon he had poured earlier. “Why won’t you two just tell me the truth?” he said before downing the whiskey and turning to face her. “What are you?” he shouted.

  The girl’s mouth fell open and she stood up. Elijah could see she was dismayed and offended.

  “I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to shout. This has been a very upsetting day; please stay.” Elijah didn’t know what to do, if she did know, she was hiding it well. What reason would Khalid have for keeping this from her?

  “I’m not like him, if that’s what you mean. And I don’t mean to be secretive, but vampires aren’t supposed to be able to see my light.” She relented a bit and sat back down on the bed.

  “I’m not vampire!” Elijah’s tone was accusing.

  “I know, I mean, I figured that, but what does that make you?” Suddenly, Elijah could hear something vibrating in Emira’s pocket, but she ignored it.

  “Are you going to answer that?” Elijah asked; he was glad for the distraction.

  “No, it’s just my uncle Kal. I’m supposed to be at home; if he knew I was here he would kill me, and then he would kill you,” she said sheepishly.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m not at all easy to kill. Believe me; people have been trying for a long time.” Elijah poured some more bourbon. Frustration and curiosity consumed him; he was drawn to this girl and she had an effect on him he could not deny. No matter what caused this distraction, that made her dangerous, and he needed Khalid’s cooperation; he couldn’t risk making an enemy out of him now.

  “I have lived with Khalid for ten years,” Emira continued. “He is a great man, but he is stubborn and overprotective.” The girl looked over at him as if she wanted Elijah to empathize.

  “Your uncle, or brother, or whatever he is, has been around for a long time, as have I. You seem to have lived a happy, sheltered life; this safe little world he has created for you is a blessing, even if it is a lie. There are things out there you have only seen in your nightmares and on your television screen. You would do well to heed his advice and go home.” Elijah deliberately spoke harshly, disguising any hints of concern for the girl with blatant rudeness. It was for the best, at least for now, until he could figure out what Khalid was concealing from him about her light, and why.

  “You don’t know me; I have seen more than you know.” Emira’s eyes strayed from his face; she seemed to be lost in her own memories. “Khalid’s sister gave me these coins almost ten years ago; that is when she found me.” Emira rubbed one of the coins dangling from the chain around her neck. “She is the reason I started collecting these old things to begin with.” She gazed at Elijah for a few seconds, searching his expressionless face for answers.

  Elijah imagined she was looking for the man whose heart and body had leapt into action when he believed she was in danger. He was in there, but Elijah had shoved him back down out of sight, so deep she could never find him.

  “So you and Khalid are not actually related?” Elijah asked as he poured more bourbon and quickly threw it back.

  “No, he just calls me Sis.” She lingered awkwardly for a moment, as if she were waiting for him to become someone else, as if she refused to believe she was wrong about him.

  “I think you should get home.” Elijah spoke without even turning back to face her.

  He could feel her eyes on his back as she paused for a moment before turning and walking to the door without another word.

  Elijah was anxious and uncomfortable. He didn’t want her to leave disappointed. He didn’t want her to leave at all. He wanted to tell her everything; he wanted to know about her and the big man who called her Sis, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop her. Regret sank in deep as he heard the door slam behind her.

  Chapter 73

  Emira walked briskly along the catwalk outside of the motel room. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why had she come? Why did she think a man like Elijah would be interested in her? What was wrong with him? He made her feel elated, warm and safe one minute, and the next he seemed explicably cold.

  Walking down the steps on the outside of the motel, she noticed two dark figures standing at the bottom, on the opposite side of the handrail to her right. It seemed strange, but she was too frazzled to be cautious and decided to walk past. Unfortunately, the hairs on her neck were tingling by the time she reached the last step.

  The men who had been standing to the side of the rail suddenly spun round and blocked her passage. The man on her left was tall and thin. The other one was thicker, more muscular-looking. Both men smelled like garlic and stale cigarette smoke, and they were standing entirely too close. Emira’s pulse raced; these men meant her harm!

  “I’m sorry, me dear, but we didn’t catch yer name.” The thin man spoke with a thick accent. Both were cloaked in the shadow of the overhanging catwalk, but she could see the curves of the thin man’s face as the shadows danced around it.

  The flickering light of a hanging lamppost lit the ridge of his long, thin nose as it came to a sharp point. His cheekbones were high and obtrusive, but gave way to large sinkholes just beneath them on both sides. He looked almost malnourished, but his manner showed he wasn’t.

  The man to his left said nothing. Next to his shoe, a dull red ember took its last breath, turning bright red before vanishing into the darkness like a collapsing star. She took a step backwards, up the bottom step. She considered running back to Elijah’s room, but another man was at her back before she had the chance.

  “Don’t worry,
we just want to talk.” The voice coming over her shoulder from the next step up wasn’t a bit convincing. All of her frustration turned to terror as it became clear she was trapped. She wanted nothing more than to see Elijah’s face appear at the balcony. She tried to scream for him, but her throat was frozen with fear. Realizing she had stopped breathing, she forced her lungs to expand and a sharp sting pinged in her chest.

  “My name is Emira. I just want to go to my car.” She was barely able to force the words out. Her voice was vibrating with fear, and the trio started to close in like a pack of dogs.

  Relief rushed over her when a figure appeared behind the two men in front of her. His demeanor was menacing. The hunters had become the hunted. As the two men in front of Emira turned to meet Elijah’s exacting gaze, Emira darted between them. She squeezed Elijah’s left bicep hard and tucked herself safely behind him—this stranger who was once again coming to her rescue. Satisfaction filled her. These assholes were about to get what they deserved.

  Elijah glared balefully at the three men. Men who would dare attempt to extinguish a light they couldn’t even see. They meant nothing; he would be doing the world a favor to rid it of these vermin. He stepped forward with malicious purpose. The three men recoiled, as if they could sense the death awaiting them at Elijah’s hands, their own dire fates reflecting back at them in his eyes.

  Emira watched the veins pulsing in Elijah’s neck; she could feel his muscles tighten as his body moved with deadly purpose. Unexpectedly, her tender nature burst through her heightened emotions. She tugged at his arm with all her might, but it was like holding onto a huge stone hurled across the expanse of space.

  She could see terror and bewilderment in the men’s faces as he lunged forward. Her feet skidded across the concrete and then came off the ground. The three men turned to run, but didn’t have a chance. Their deaths approached with blinding speed.

  “Nooo!” Elijah heard a loud scream. It was close. It was impossibly close! The sound startled him from his lethal focus. He suddenly noticed a pressure release from around his arm. It was Emira’s hands, slipping away as he jerked forward. She was falling hard toward the concrete steps.

  Elijah’s focus shifted immediately. The three men disappeared from his mind along with everything else. All the hate that burned inside him evaporated as compassion and deep concern took its place. In this moment, Emira was all that mattered.

  Mustering enough composure to find a solution, he relaxed and turned his rigid, lunging body to dead weight. Hurtling through the air, he rotated and pulled her towards him, holding her close. His left hand cupped the back of her head, pushing her forehead firmly to his chest. His right arm, wrapped tightly around her waist, held her tiny frame steadily in place and out of harm’s way.

  A deep sense of relief overtook him as his back and head smashed against the edges of the concrete steps; he couldn’t help but think of holding Sara in that same position when he fell from the overturned tree long ago. The pain of the impact was searing. A large chunk of the step fell behind him as he lifted his head to check on Emira. She looked shocked and frightened, but she was fine. A sense of composure slowly crept into her face.

  “Oh, my God, are you all right?” Tears welled and soon came rolling down her pale cheeks. Her aura of light had all but disappeared.

  “I’m fine; everything is fine.” He wiped the tears from her face. “I promise,” he said. The tears stopped and color flooded back into her face; her light slowly began to expand once again. Bringing her to her feet, Elijah knew he had a lot to explain. He expected a barrage of questions, but got only one.

  “Are they gone?”

  Elijah was silent for a moment, unsure of what she meant.

  “I think so,” he said after a moment of consideration, only then recalling the men whose lives Emira had just saved. “I’m sorry,” he said, wandering aimlessly.

  “Why? You just saved my life.” She meant it, too. Elijah could see it in her face.

  “I also almost killed you; I should have better control of my emotions.” He spoke quietly as he raised his eyes and met her gaze. “I have spent hundreds of years living in the void, the space between caring and conviction. Your coins and light have shaken me to my core. I’m sorry. I was so angry. If I hadn’t heard you, you might have died.” The hate, which had so quickly evaporated, was finding its way back into Elijah’s soul as he thought of how easily he had just lost control.

  Ayda would be disappointed, he thought. His body hardened noticeably as frustration flooded him.

  “But you did, and you saved me.” Unbelievably, considering what he’d almost done, she was actually trying to comfort him… even though she was still afraid. Elijah could feel it. She seemed to fear losing him, as he feared losing himself, to the sea of grief and hate that seemed to overtake him so easily.

  Emira pressed the side of her face against his chest and grabbed him hard around the waist. His body warmed with emotion; she somehow melted away the ice that grew so quickly around his heart.

  “Will you tell me about her, the coins, the girl who obviously meant so much to you?” she asked in a whisper.

  “AHHHHH!”

  “What was that?” Emira was startled by a loud scream, but what came next was even more alarming. The sound was horribly biblical. They heard the crushing of bones, the ripping of flesh and the gnashing of teeth. The wet noises of raw flesh being gobbled. Elijah grabbed Emira by the arm and yanked her behind him.

  “The noise came from the other side of the motel.” Elijah’s voice was steady; his composure seemed to comfort the girl, but she maintained her tenacious grip on his arm. He could feel every tiny fingernail nearly piercing his skin. He didn’t mind it. Elijah liked having her close. If she couldn’t be a million miles away from whatever caused that bloodcurdling sound—then she needed to be as close to him as possible.

  “I’ll tell you about her, but we need to get back to the room first.” He hurried her up the stairs and was on her heels all the way to the room, then closed the door behind him as they entered the room and latched the security chain.

  “Now, what would you like to know?” Elijah sat down on one of the beds and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

  “Well, how did you meet her?” Emira asked brightly, like a child awaiting a bedtime story. Elijah thought about it for a while, about how much bullshit he should mix in with the truth. He wondered how much she knew about all this, about the man she called her uncle. She obviously knew about vampires, and he was certain she couldn’t have missed the display put on by him and Khalid at the masjid.

  “How long have you known Khalid?” Elijah finally asked, after a long silence.

  “If you’re asking me if I know he is special, that he has been around for a very, very long time, then the answer is yes. He took me in when I was young; he has kind of been like a father to me since I lost mine.”

  Elijah watched the vibrant eagerness drain from her face as she plopped down on the bed across from him and crossed her legs.

  Elijah found himself speechless yet again. Humans’ awareness of immortals had dropped dramatically since the Middle Ages, so he wasn’t used to speaking openly with them. Still, this girl clearly wasn’t a mere human.

  “He told me about you as well. He wants me to stay away from you, obviously.” She propped her hands on the bed behind her and leaned back.

  “I’m not a vampire,” Elijah repeated.

  “I didn’t say you were, but you’re not like Kal either, are you?”

  The girl looked up at him; her dark eyes were once again filled with excitement. She was taken with him, even fascinated. He could see it all over her face and, despite any meaning that might be in those coins, he had to snuff it out. He couldn’t deny she intrigued him; she plagued his mind with a desire he hadn’t known since lifetimes past, but he knew he could only bring her pain.

  “So, your true curiosities surface once again?” Elijah rose from the bed. This time ther
e was no distraction, no way to change the subject. “I may not have sharp claws or fangs, but I am far worse than you could imagine, far more dangerous than any vampire.” He walked to the table and poured another bourbon. “I have slain vampires by the thousands. I have slaughtered entire towns, towns filled with innocents, filled with humans. I have peered into the eyes of a prophet, a child, and snapped her neck without flinching.” Elijah drank the bourbon and took a step towards his tormentor.

  “You want to know how I met Sara? First let me tell you how I met the only other woman who ever cared for me.” He didn’t give the girl in front of him time to respond. “I bought her from the Mongolian Empire. I traded my best friend and my people.” Elijah took another step forward.

  “You traded all that just for a girl?” Emira asked. Her eyes were wide with awe, as if he had made some sweeping romantic gesture with his bartering.

  “No, she was just something the Khan threw in for good measure,” he answered. He took another step forward and was now standing directly in front of her. The sweet fragrances of her skin lotion and shampooed hair washed over him as he leaned over her and placed his hand on the bed behind her. “I am the worst kind of devil you could imagine, worse than you can possibly imagine, in fact, and Khalid is right. You need to stay away from me.”

  Emira’s eyes were like two black holes compelling him forward; his face was just inches from hers now. He hated what he was doing, but he had to. No matter how much he wanted her, no matter how she possessed his mind, and no matter why she had those coins, he couldn’t allow her into his life, not if he cared even a little. His life was too dangerous. He was too dangerous; he chased after death, and the passenger seat on that ride was no place for a young, vulnerable woman. He would tuck her away as another fantasy, another notion of what might have been.

  She slid backwards on the bed, allowing herself room to breathe, but Elijah crawled forward until he was once again uncomfortably close. She tried to move further back, but her back hit the wall. Elijah heard her swallow hard as he moved closer.